April 3, 2008 - FDA regulation moves a step closer.. The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce yesterday completed a markup of legislation that would grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products. By a better than an 3-to-1 margin the committee approved the bill, H.R. 1108, the ‘Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act’, by a vote of 38 to 12. The legislation will now go to the House of Representatives for consideration. This legislation is long overdue. We worry that the legislation will be flawed because the biggest player in the tobacco industry - Altria - Philip Morris USA (PM) has been directly involved in writing the bill. As Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-WY) has pointed out, "Poison peddlers shouldn’t get to decide how we as responsible legislators fight the war against their deadly products." Mike Szymanczyk now the CEO of Altria, Inc. tells investors they are directly involved in the process. Mr. Szymanczyk - PM owes their success to the ability to connect with adult tobacco consumers through the in-store experience and the development of one-to-one relationships using their database of 25 million adult cigarette smokers (Remarks, Investor Presentation, 3/11/2008).

April 1, 20008 - Nova Scotia to start enforcing a law that bans smoking in vehicles with children in them.. The law, which takes effect April 1, prohibits smoking in a motor vehicle when a person younger than 19 is present. The fine is $394.50. "This legislation is another important step in protecting the health of all Nova Scotians," said Barry Barnet, minister of health promotion and protection. "Children and young people are susceptible to the effects of second hand smoke, especially in an enclosed space such as a car." In December 2007, Nova Scotia became the first province to introduce such as ban, after the town of Wolfville in the province passed a municipal law banning the practice in November 2007. Nova Scotia's smoking rates have decreased to 20 per cent of the population from 30 per cent since the province's Tobacco Control Strategy began in 2001, the government said. Related news briefs: Nova Scotia to Ban Smoking in Cars with Kids..Read more...

March 31, 2008 - Big tobacco tax hike ahead for New York State?Gov. David Paterson and legislative leaders huddled behind closed doors and inched toward a budget deal on Sunday that could include increasing cigarette taxes by at least $1.25 per pack. Those familiar with the talks said the enhanced tax would be on top of the current $1.50 tax per pack upstate and $3 per pack in New York City, making New York the leader in such surcharges on smokers. The tax, as proposed, would reap about $265 million more in revenues, although an overall financial plan was still in flux late Sunday. They said the plans are to be printed into budget bills to be voted on as soon as today (3/31/2008). Also, the deal involves changing the way snuff and other moist tobacco products are taxed to raise a few million dollars more. The products would become more expensive because they would be taxed based on weight as opposed to a percentage of the wholesale price. The increased tobacco taxes would go a long way toward helping the Legislature pay for $500 million in extra spending above Paterson's plan. As a result, school aid is expected to rise $1.8 billion to more than $21 billion. Health care spending would rise above Paterson's plan by between $235 million to $245 million, largely because lawmakers wanted to provide more Medicaid funds to nursing homes, hospitals, pharmacies and home care providers. At present New Jersey's $2.58 tax on a pack of cigarettes is the highest in the nation. Click on image to enlarge..Read more...